The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-05
ieasues and associations have shown a most
earnest desire to support the commission in the

LEAGUES and associations have shown a most
earnest desire to support the commission in the
discharge of its duties
Commissioners Edgerton. in his report to the
commission, states that he opposed to tne
investigation because, in his opinion the
charges which had been made were not of that
SUBSTANTIAL and definite character which could
give the commission any legal right to act upon
the COMPLAINT or impose upon it any duty of in
vestiga tion under the civl-service act and rules
Wnen Mr. Seeberger. in his reply to Mr.. Webs
Ter . con paint, denied the charges made against
MIN, Claiming that he requested the resignation
OF Ut. Webster for reasons amply strong, and
@ ina. ne acted IN strict cont ormity with the civil
service law. he distinctly denied that the request
Ior the RESIGNATION was prompted for political
rssNsons With this answer, says Commissioner
Ef.serton, the investigation should have stop
pesd, Tor there was nothing left for the commis-
slop to do Continuing, he saws:
s'The papers in the were sent to the Pres
ldent by the Gvil-service Reform League OF
Chicago, and not directly the commission
and 1t was apparent upon the face Of these pa
pers that the charges not only insufficient
but ware incited and encouraged by the league
for purposes-to make them q basis for n
political partisan attack upon the present ad.
ministration and, by doing, to bring promi.
nens'y forward as active civii-service reformers
certain persons who might otherwise remain
unknown. Mr.. Webster states that he was
moved or coerced to resign for political reasons
and this is all the charge there is against Mr..
Grafton whatever. This charge Mr.
Seeberger smphatically denies. Webster
was not removed, he resigned. When Mr. Web
sier resigned he abandoned all legal claim to his
position; and, without claim right. why
should he or the Chicago Reform League seek
the intervention of the President. investl.
cation by the commission, unless for partisan
political reasonsy He sought the aid and svm-
pathv of this reform league, not for restoration
to Office, but for that temporary newspaper
prominence which might make more popular
the purposes of both, which purposes were to
antagonize and to discredit Democratic admin
istration. The league might possibly demon
af0f And av,d
tempt to find some gal redress for such COM
tainants Mr.. Webster. if any could
De found to exist. But in these cases
is not sought through the Civilservice Commits
sion for it is known to be powerless effect it;
but the purpose of the complaint is to fasten up-
violation, if of the letter, then of the spirit
of the law-violatons which rarely, if ever,
sought for during q Republican administration,
as whatever it might do would be called faith.
fu observance of the law.
'The leagues and associations which are too
often essentially political in their character and
purposes, and not composed entirely of consist
ent reformers we'll the individual pretend
ers to devotion to the public inter est as civil
service reformers, should to the
President and to his party honesty
of purpose, and should believe that as far as is
in his power he will sec that the civil service
law and the rules made by himself are faithfully
executed So long unreasoning hostility to
the administration and persistent denunciation
are called vigilance and investigation in the
cause of honest government and civil-ser
REFORM so long will 1t be known that neither
civil service reform nor honest government are
the real subjects Of deep concern; but that
greed for Office and party success the main
springs to action, and the defeat of the pres
ent Democratic administration the highest pur-
pose"
Mr.. Edgerton reasserts his position. taken in
the case of Postmaster Harrity. of Phiiadelphia,
that reasons should not be exacted OF superiors
for the dismissal of subordinates He rays:
Under the civil-servce law clerkship is in
sense condition of perpetual probation;
it means trial. and that failure trial means
dismissal. After regular appointment there
is state of continued trial in the effort and the
hope to higher in the public service. Who
ever, from any cause. ceases to grow begins to
rot. and hence men work to grow better, when
to fail is 20 invite dismissal and to make them
necessary"
Commissioner Edgerton in conclusion, says
that III his opinion Collector Seeherger has
been guilty of any violations of any of the rules
or Of any OF the provisions OF tha civil service
act